Table Of Content

WELLINGTON 4160_01_Text.indd 1 31/08/13 3:07 PM 4160_01_Text.indd 2 31/08/13 3:07 PM  THE PATH TO VICTORY 1769–1814 RORY MUIR YALE UNIVERSITY PRESS NEW HAVEN AND LONDON 4160_01_Text.indd 3 31/08/13 3:07 PM Published with assistance from the Annie Burr Lewis Fund Copyright © 2013 Rory Muir All rights reserved. This book may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that copying permitted by Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law and except by reviewers for the public press) without written permission from the publishers. For information about this and other Yale University Press publications, please contact: U.S. Office: [email protected] www.yalebooks.com Europe Office: [email protected] www.yalebooks.co.uk Set in Minion Pro by IDSUK (DataConnection) Ltd Printed in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, Padstow, Cornwall Library of Congress Cataloging-i n- Publication Data Muir, Rory, 1962- Wellington / Rory Muir. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978–0–300–18665–9 (v. 1: alk. paper) — ISBN 978–0–300–18786–1 (v. 2: alk. paper) 1. Wellington, Arthur Wellesley, Duke of, 1769–1852. 2. Great Britain. Army—History. 3. Great Britain—History, Military—1789–1820. 4. Generals—Great Britain— Biography. 5. Prime ministers—Great Britain—Biography. 6. Great Britain—Politics and government—19th century. I. Title. DA68.12.W4M85 2013 941.07092—dc23 [B] 2013018606 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 4160_01_Text.indd 4 31/08/13 3:07 PM  C ONTENTS List of Illustrations vii List of Maps x Preface xi Prologue 1 Part I: Obscurity and Dependence 3 1 An Unsettled Childhood (1769–88) 5 2 Coming of Age in Ireland (1788–93) 12 3 Love and War (1792–96) 27 Part II: India and Independence 43 4 Arrival in India (1796–98) 45 5 Mornington and the Indian Scene 56 6 Seringapatam (1798–99) 65 7 The Mysore Years (1799–1802) 88 8 The Restoration of the Peshwa (1802–03) 106 9 The Maratha War (1803) 126 10 Farewell to India (1804–05) 150 Part III: War, Politics, Fame and Controversy 167 11 Return to England (September 1805–March 1807) 169 12 Chief Secretary for Ireland (1807) 189 4160_01_Text.indd 5 31/08/13 3:07 PM vi CONTENTS 13 Copenhagen (July–September 1807) 208 14 Dublin and Westminster (October 1807–July 1808) 221 15 Vimeiro and Cintra (July–September 1808) 234 16 The Cintra Inquiry (September–December 1808) 264 17 Politics, Scandal and Wellesley’s Return to Portugal (January–April 1809) 283 Part IV: Adversity and Triumph in the Peninsula 299 18 Oporto (April–May 1809) 301 19 Talavera (June–August 1809) 318 20 Misery on the Guadiana (August–December 1809) 345 21 Preparing for the Storm (December 1809–June 1810) 358 22 Busaco (July–September 1810) 377 23 Torres Vedras (October 1810–February 1811) 394 24 The Pursuit of Masséna (February–April 1811) 407 25 Fuentes de Oñoro (April–June 1811) 416 26 Ciudad Rodrigo (July 1811–January 1812) 436 27 Badajoz (February–April 1812) 446 28 Salamanca (April–July 1812) 458 29 Madrid and Burgos (July–November 1812) 478 30 Life at Headquarters 493 31 Vitoria (December 1812–June 1813) 517 32 The Pyrenees (July–September 1813) 537 33 Crossing the Frontier (September–December 1813) 553 34 Toulouse and the End of the War (January–April 1814) 566 Epilogue 590 Online Commentary 592 Digest and Chronology of Wellington’s Life and Career to 1814 594 Endnotes 599 Bibliography 675 Index 712 4160_01_Text.indd 6 31/08/13 3:07 PM  L I IST OF LLUSTRATIONS 1 Silhouette of Arthur Wesley. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust. 2 Dangan Castle, Ireland, title page of The Life and Times of the Late Duke of Wellington . . . by William Freke Williams (c. 1850). Mary Evans Picture Library. 3 Benjamin Burnell (attrib.), Anne, Countess of Mornington (c. 1831). Courtesy of Brynkinalt Hall. 4 John Downman, Richard Colley, Lord Mornington, afterwards Marquess Wellesley (1785). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 5 Walter Robertson (attrib.), Young Officer of the 76th (c. 1787). Collection of Christopher Bryant. 6 Unknown artist, after Sir Thomas Lawrence, Catherine Pakenham, Duchess of Wellington (nineteenth century). Mary Evans Picture Library. 7 James Gillray, Fatigues of the Campaign in Flanders (1793). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 8 Arthur William Devis, detail of Lieutenant-General George Harris, in a group portrait of the Lushington and Harris families (c. 1802–03). Reproduced by kind permission of the Trustees of the Harris (Belmont) Charity. 9 John Hoppner, Arthur Wesley, c. 1795. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust. 10 Unknown artist, Tipu Sultan, Ruler of Mysore (1792). © The British Library Board. 11 Thomas Hickey, Purniya, Chief Minister of Mysore (c. 1801). Yale Center for British Art. 12 Laminet, colour aquatint after H. Singleton, The Assault and Taking of Seringapatam (1799). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 13 Jonathan Engleheart, engraving after Abraham Cooper, Colonel Maxwell’s Last Charge at Assaye (1839). McGill University Napoleon Collection. 14 Thomas Hickey, Isabella Freese. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust. 15 Henry Collen, after Henry Hoppner Meyer, Charles Lennox, 4th Duke of Richmond (1823). Private Collection / Photo © Christie’s Images / The Bridgeman Art Library. 16 Robert Home, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1804). © Crown copyright: UK Government Art Collection. 17 John Hoppner, Portrait of Colonel Arthur Wellesley (1806). Courtesy of the Trustees of the Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust. 18 Richard Cosway, miniature of Arthur Wellesley (1808). Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 19 C.W. Eckersberg, The Bombardment of Copenhagen (1807). © KØbenhavns Museum. 20 Henri L’Evéque, The Landing of the British Army at Mondego Bay, 1808 (c. 1808). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 4160_01_Text.indd 7 31/08/13 3:07 PM viii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS 21 Léon Mauduison, Jean- Andoche Junot (c. 1845). Private collection. 22 Unknown artist, Nicolas Jean-de-Dieu Soult (1808). Hulton Archive / Stringer, Getty Images. 23 Antoine- Jean Gros, Napoleon Accepting the Surrender of Madrid, 1808 (1809). akg- images / VISIOARS. 24 George Landmann, Sir Arthur Wellesley’s Quarters, Vimeiro, 21st & 22nd of August, 1808, from Historical, Military, and Picturesque Observations on Portugal (1818), vol. 2, p. 228. 25 John Jackson, Sir Hew Whitefoord Dalrymple, Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey (c. 1800). © 2013 Guernsey Museums & Galleries (The States of Guernsey). 26 Unknown artist, after Sir William Beechey, Frederick, Duke of York (c. 1800–20). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013. 27 Charles Williams, The last harvest or British Threshers makeing French crops (1808). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 28 George Cruikshank, Whitlock the second or another tarnish of British valor (1808). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 29 Sir Thomas Lawrence, William Wellesley- Pole, later 1st Baron Maryborough and 3rd Earl of Mornington (c. 1815). Private collection. 30 Cooper, after Birch, Miss Wilson (c. 1808–09). Hulton Archive, Getty Images. 31 Edward Hodges Baily, after Joseph Nollekens, marble sculpture bust of the 1st Duke of Wellington (c. 1828–30). © Tate, London 2013. 32 Henry Edridge, drawing of Wellington’s children. Courtesy of the Trustees of the Stratfield Saye Preservation Trust. 33 Henry Smith, Oporto, with the Bridge of Boats (1813). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 34 Unknown artist, Fuga de Soult da cidade do Porto (nineteenth century). Arquivo Histórico Militar, Portugal (PT/AHM/FE/10-A 7- PQ–04). 35 Domenico Pellegrini, Retrato de Lord Wellington (1809). Museo Nacional de Arte Antiga, photograph by José Pessoa. Direção-Geral do Património Cultural / Arquivo de Documentação Fotográfica (DGPC/ADF). 36 T. Sutherland, aquatint after W. Heath, The Battle of Talavera (1815). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 37 Sir Thomas Lawrence, Robert Stewart, 2nd Marquess of Londonderry (Lord Castlereagh) (1809–10). © National Portrait Gallery, London. 38 Sir Thomas Lawrence, Charles William Vane-S tewart, 3rd Marquess of Londonderry (1812). © National Portrait Gallery, London. 39 Sir William Beechey, William Carr Beresford, Viscount Beresford (1814–15). © National Portrait Gallery, London. 40 François-P ascal- Simon Gérard, Lord Stuart de Rothesay (1828–31). The Bettine, Lady Abingdon Collection. Bequeathed by Mrs T.R.P. Hole. Victoria and Albert Museum, London. 41 C. Turner, engraving after Thomas St Clair, Troops Bevouack’d near the Village of Villa Velha, on the Evening of the 19th of May 1811. Shewing the various occupations of an Emcampment (1812). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 42 Denis Dighton, Portuguese Army, 20th Infantry Regiment (1812). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013. 43 Denis Dighton, Portuguese Army, 4th Caçadores (1812). Royal Collection Trust / © Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2013. 44 C. Turner, aquatint after Thomas St Clair, A View of the Sierra de Busaco at St. Antonio de Cantaro, showing the attack by Marshal Reigniers (1812). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 45 Sir William Beechey, Lt. General Sir Thomas Picton (c. 1815). © English Heritage. 46 Unknown artist, General Robert Craufurd (nineteenth century). Private Collection / Ken Welsh / The Bridgeman Art Library. 4160_01_Text.indd 8 31/08/13 3:07 PM List of iLLustrations ix 47 William Robinson, after Sir Thomas Lawrence, General the Hon. Sir Galbraith Lowry Cole GCB (1811). © National Trust / Bryan Rutledge. 48 Antoine- Jean Gros, André Masséna, duc de Rivoli, prince d’Essling, maréchal de France (1834). © Paris – Musée de l’Armée, Dist. RMN- Grand Palais / image musée de l’Armée. 49 Jean- Baptiste Paulin Guérin, Auguste- Frédéric- Louis de Viesse de Marmont, duc de Raguse (1834). © RMN- Grand Palais (Château de Versailles) / Gérard Blot. 50 Unknown artist, British Light Infantry (95th Rifles) (n.d.). Private collection. 51 Juan Bauzil, Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington (1812–16). © National Portrait Gallery, London. 52 G. Thompson, A View of the Storming and Taking of Badajoz in Spain on April 6th 1812 (1812). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 53 Francisco de Goya, The Duke of Wellington (1812–14). © The National Gallery, London. 54 Charles Williams, See the Conquering Hero Comes, sound your trumpet, beat your drums (1812). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 55 J.A. Atkinson, Baggage Waggon (1807). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 56 J.C. Stadler, aquatint after Charles Hamilton Smith, Battalion Infantry 6th Regiment and 23rd or Royal Welsh Fusiliers (1812–15). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 57 J.C. Stadler, aquatint after Charles Hamilton Smith, Soldiers of the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards in Marching Order (1812–15). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 58 Wellington’s dressing case. Apsley House, The Wellington Museum, London, UK / The Bridgeman Art Library. 59 Pontoon Bridge over the Esla, in J.H. Stocqueler, The Life of Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington (1852–53), vol. 1, p. 236. 60 Denis Dighton, An Action during the Peninsular War, with riflemen of 95th (Rifle) Regiment acting as snipers (c. 1810). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 61 James Walker, after John Augustus Atkinson, The Battle of Vittoria (1820). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 62 Charles Williams, Wellington and Glory, or the Victory of Vittoria (1813). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 63 Thomas Jones Barker, Wellington at Sorauren, 27 July 1813 (c. 1853). Courtesy of the Council of the National Army Museum, London. 64 John Heaviside Clark, Storming the Town and Castle of St. Sebastian in Spain, Sepr. 1813 (1813). © The Trustees of the British Museum. 65 Thomas Heaphy, watercolour study of Wellington (1813). © National Portrait Gallery, London. 66 Anker Smith, engraving after Thomas Heaphy, Field Marshal the Duke of Wellington Giving Orders to his Generals Previous to a General Action (1822). © Crown copyright: UK Government Art Collection. 4160_01_Text.indd 9 12/09/13 8:03 AM